Shincheonji Church of Jesus (Shincheonji Church) spreads light to its neighborhood by showing Jesus’ love with volunteer service. The church is carrying out the (traditional) role of the church in a community, which is helping neighbors in need. Therefore, it established a volunteer organization called Shincheonji Volunteer in all branch churches, including churches outside of South Korea. The organizations in the branch churches run various volunteer projects, which are suitable for the local communities.
Shincheonji Volunteer Asan branch (Branch manager Byeon Jaejoon) and *Tangjeong Welfare Center of Asan City signed the MOU called ‘The Memorandum Of Understanding for Providing Welfare Benefits to Families in Crisis” on 15th Feb. 2024.
*Tangjeong Welfare Center: A Welfare Center is a governmental organization that helps the residents in the area that is in charge of it. It helps the residents with administrative work such as resident registration, and welfare tasks such as informing and helping register to the governmental welfare projects. “Tangjeong” is named after “Tangjeong-Myeon (Myeon: second smallest administrative unit of Korea)”, which is a village located in Asan City.
According to Shincheonji Volunteer Asan branch, the organization kept running volunteer projects such as sharing free succulent pots with senior citizens in the **“The More, the Better” project, or giving massages on their hands, etc. By signing this MOU, Shincheonji Volunteer Asan branch will deliver the message of love and hope to the residents through free haircut service, starting this year.
** ”The More, the Better”: It’s a project to share succulent plant pots with the neighbors. The pots are good for purifying the air in the room and are easy to take care of since the succulents survive well in tough environments. Taking care of plants often makes the person less lonely, therefore, having plants that need to be taken care of is called “having a pet plant” in Korea, sometimes.
Lee Soomin, the Visiting Health and Welfare Team Leader of Tangjeong Welfare Center, said, “Tangjeong LH Apts. 5 has many people who have mobility difficulties such as the disabled, and elderly citizens, therefore, we were looking for volunteers to help them. They are thankful after hearing that Shincheonji Volunteer will regularly visit the senior citizens center to give the free haircut service.”
Byeon Jaejoon, the Branch Manager of Shincheonji Volunteer Asan branch, said, “Signing this MOU with Tangjeong-Myeon Welfare Center, we will more actively interchange with the local community. We will provide volunteer services and serve the neighbors in need to provide better welfare in the local community, and practice the love in the Bible.”
Shincheonji Volunteer Asan branch serves the local community not only with donations but also by healing the mental health of the residents by giving succulent pots, planting pet plants for the disabled and elderly citizens, giving hand massages, giving free haircut services, etc.
It was its second time signing the MOU. Before this, in January, “Good House”, the disabled residential facility in Seonjang-Myeon, signed the MOU with Shincheonji Volunteer Asan branch.
Source: https://www.newscj.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=3109585
I don’t know what it’s like in other countries right now, but the ‘traditional’ role of the churches in the Korean local community is fading fast nowadays. Churches used to take care of the homeless people and give food for free to people in need, but I feel sad to see the tradition disappearing. However, at least one church is serving the local community! Many will be relieved to get help from warm Jesus’ love through volunteer service in the church.
kleverchristlichen.net 